KL offers East Timor help, military training<\/p>\n
Agencies, Kuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Malaysia offered East Timor on Monday assistance ranging from
\neducation to military training during a visit by the fledgling
\nnation's prime minister, Mari Bim Amude Alkatiri, an official
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The offers were made by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in
\nhour-long talks with Alkatiri, who in turn requested help in
\ndeveloping his country's oil and gas sectors, Deputy Foreign
\nMinister Leo Michael Toyad told reporters.<\/p>\n
The two men also discussed increasing trade opportunities, Leo
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Alkatiri, who arrived late on Sunday with a 27-member
\ndelegation including Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Ramos Horta
\nand 17 businessmen hoping to attract investment to East Timor.<\/p>\n
"They have asked for assistance in developing the gas and
\npetroleum industry.<\/p>\n
"In this field, they want guidance and cooperation to assist
\nthem in developing their own petroleum company like Petronas, and
\nto increase exports," Leo said.<\/p>\n
Alkatiri was due to meet Petronas officials later on Monday,
\nbefore attending an official dinner reception hosted by Mahathir.
\nThe delegation is scheduled to leave for Manila on Thursday.<\/p>\n
East Timorese and Malaysian officials had initially been
\nslated to sign a visa agreement Monday, but Toyad said there were
\ntechnical complications and the pact would probably be signed
\nlater.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Trade Minister Rafidah Aziz said Alkatiri's
\ndelegation also expressed East Timor's desire to join the 10-
\nmember Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).<\/p>\n
"They requested about becoming part of the ASEAN Regional
\nForum (ARF) and later on they would like to become part of ASEAN
\nas well," she said on the sidelines of the meeting.<\/p>\n
"And (Mahathir) has expressed his support for that."<\/p>\n
The ARF, Asia-Pacific's foremost security umbrella group,
\nincludes the 10 ASEAN states, along with Australia, Canada,
\nChina, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand,
\nSouth Korea, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United
\nStates.<\/p>\n
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
\nMyanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
East Timor became independent on May 20 after more than 400
\nyears as a Portuguese colony, 24 years of Indonesian occupation
\nand 32 months under United Nations stewardship.<\/p>\n
The country, Asia's poorest, is struggling to recover from the
\ndestruction of 80 percent of its infrastructure in a vengeful
\nIndonesian army-backed militia rampage that followed its August
\n1999 vote for independence.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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